CHESHIRE West and Chester Councillors have controversially voted to reject a University of Chester bid to keep using its Thornton Science Park, amid safety concerns with its close proximity to Stanlow oil refinery.

The retrospective change of use application for six buildings on the park's campus had come about after the Health and Safety Executive ruled the nearby location of the refinery put students and staff at too much risk.

The University of Chester had made the case before Tuesday's planning committee meeting that, should the application be refused, it could put more than 300 jobs at risk in the local economy, with a potential loss of £20 million.

But councillors voted 8:4 to refuse the application.

The decision puts the future of the Thornton Science Park, opened in 2014 and said to be a key element of the Cheshire-Warrington Science Corridor, in doubt.

University of Chester vice chancellor Professor Tim Wheeler said he was "surprised and disappointed" at the decision and said the university would be considering an appeal.

Former Ellesmere Port MP Andrew Miller, who spoke at the council meeting, said afterwards of the decision: "It's hugely disappointing because the elected members have been put in an impossible position.

"The Health and Safety Executive have been aware of this from day one. The council, at the most senior level, has been aware of this from day one. They knew the science park was a teaching facility as well as a business complex.

"All the time Shell operated there were students on the site. The risk to the students and the risk to the employees should not be treated differently. Far from putting students at risk, we are putting them in a working environment for their future.

"The STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] students – who are adults, let's not forget – learn their skills in a hazard zone and that is a massive positive in terms of future employment."